Anzac Day Family Friendly Events around Adelaide
Anzac Day is Australia’s most sacred day and is honoured with a national public holiday. It’s an important opportunity to reflect and commemorate the sacrifice made by Australian veterans.
ANZAC DAY 2024 – THURSDAY 25 APRIL
The ANZAC spirit is a legacy that lives on in all Australians, inspiring pride and camaraderie across generations.
There’s no greater way to honour the ANZACs than by commemorating together as a community on 25 April.
The Adelaide Anzac Day Committee plans and conducts the Anzac Eve Youth Vigil, Dawn Service, March and Cross of Sacrifice Remembrance Service in Adelaide. These events are open to the general public to attend and pay their respects.
You can also check with your local council or RSL Club to find an event near you.
ADELAIDE DAWN SERVICE
The 2024 Adelaide Dawn Service at the SA National War Memorial commences at 6am, at the end of the Anzac Eve Youth Vigil.
ANZAC EVE YOUTH VIGIL
The Anzac Eve Youth Vigil Ceremony is a youth inspired activity that has become the first ceremony of remembrance of Anzac Day in Adelaide. With differing backgrounds and interests, young Australians representing a variety of service and community groups, conduct a formal ‘Holding Ground’ Ceremony, a night-long, guard of honour around the historic South Australian National War Memorial, corner of North Terrace and Kintore Avenue, Adelaide from 6pm to 6am between Anzac Eve and Anzac Morning. Just prior to dawn the youth guards step down and the Dawn Service follows.
ANZAC ON TORRENS
On Anzac Day, the RSL is hosting Anzac on Torrens – a comradeship event for veterans, their families, supporters, and the public, on Torrens Parade Ground. Catching-up with old mates, and making new ones, is an integral part of Anzac Day.
Straight after the Dawn Service, around 7am the event will begin with a traditional gunfire breakfast for purchase, provided by Adelaide Lions. Breakfast will consist of bacon and egg rolls and a cup of tea or brewed coffee.
From 10am Anzac on Torrens will really kick-off as the first marchers return. Adelaide Lions will be providing a barbeque lunch for purchase – and a choice of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be available from marquees staffed by the State RSL, Legacy, and the Combined Ex-Services Mess.
A traditional Two-up ring will be in operation to add to the atmosphere. There will be shelter and chairs on the parade ground, and Coast FM 88.7 will conduct a live broadcast from the event for the first time.
The Legacy Café inside the Drill Hall, a seated café, for hot drinks and sweet treats – and will also include a children’s activity area.
ADELAIDE ANZAC DAY COMMEMORATIVE MARCH
The march commences at 9:30am from the corner of North Terrace and Gawler Place in the city.
The Adelaide Anzac Day March will feature veterans, ADF units, bands, Descendants Groups and spectators are welcome.
CLICK HERE to view the 2024 Adelaide Anzac March Guide – Route Map, Order of March, form up and dispersal information.
SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE
Traditionally a Service of Remembrance is held at the Cross of Sacrifice in Pennington Gardens, North Adelaide, immediately after the Anzac Day March concludes.
This service provides a significant finale to the commemorations, with the Dawn Service representing a funeral, the March representing the walk to the grave site and the service at the Cross of Sacrifice representing the burial. This year marks the centenary of the dedication of the cross in 1922. This is a historic occasion and your attendance is welcomed and encouraged.
The Cross of Sacrifice Memorial stands in gardens opposite St Peters Cathedral and commemorates the men who died during the Great War WWI of 1914 – 1919. An Ataturk Tribute and Eternal Flame also feature in the garden.
Check with your local council or local RSL to find out where you can attend a dawn service in your area, such as the ones listed below.
GLENELG
- Plympton Glenelg RSL
- 6am – 7am
- Moseley Square, Glenelg
- MORE INFO HERE
HALLET COVE
- Lions Club of Hallett Cove
- 6am – 7am
- Heron Way Reserve, Hallett Cove Foreshore
- MORE INFO HERE
MARION
- Marion RSL
- 6am
- Cenotaph Memorial Garden 31-39 Norfolk Road, Marion
- MORE INFO HERE
SEMAPHORE
- Semaphore and Port Adelaide RSL
- 6am – 7am
- Semaphore Angel War Memorial, Semaphore Foreshore
- MORE INFO HERE
TEA TREE GULLY
- Tea Tree Gully RSL
- 6am – 7am
- Tea Tree Gully Memorial Gardens – 1336 North East Road, Tea Tree Gully
- Entrances via foot are located on Memorial Drive and North East Road (corner of Elizabeth Street and east of Memorial Drive)
- MORE INFO HERE
GAWLER
- Gawler RSL Sub Branch
- 6am
- Pioneer Park – corner of Murray & Union Streets, Gawler
- MORE INFO HERE
Light Up The Dawn
Light Up The Dawn was launched in 2020 when COVID restrictions were in full force, encouraging people to remember and pay their respects from their driveways.
Because remembrance of service and sacrifice are important to our society, you can choose to pay respects in your own personal way, such as:
- Light Up the Dawn commemoration from your own driveway, with neighbours and the RSL. For a guide to format your own service at home see below.
- Remembering from within your home with Light Up the Dawn, media broadcasts and online coverage. ABC TV and Radio 891 will cover the Adelaide dawn service from 5:25am.
- Visiting a local war memorial at any time of the day, within exercise/recreation and social distancing conditions.
- Visit Virtual War Memorial Australia. Register and contribute pictures and information on your relatives who served Australia on active service.
CLICK HERE FOR LIGHT UP THE DAWN INFO
Guide for a Home Service
RSL SA offers the guide below to conducting your personal remembrance service.
Introduction: Use your own words of reflection, name people you remember today, give gratitude for those who served and sacrificed, and to those still serving our nation.
Recite the Ode:
- They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them. - Play The Last Post
- Minute of Silence
- Play Reveille/Rouse
- Recite: Lest We Forget
- Play New Zealand National Anthem
- Play Australian National Anthem
- Conclusion
You may add prayers, hymns, readings and personal content to reflect your beliefs. Consider reciting the ANZAC Requiem. Please use volume levels for your own use, that are respectful to neighbours.
For links to bugle calls and music to complement your words CLICK HERE
You can also use the virtual candle HERE
For some ANZAC Day baking see our easy recipe for Anzac Biscuits or Apple & Cinnamon ANZAC Muffins
For more information and all enquiries please visit the Veterans SA 0r the RSL SA Branch website.
What: Anzac Day 2024
When: Thursday 25 April 2024
Where: South Australia
Who: Everyone
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
Image source: Light Up The Dawn & photos by Play & Go
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